“THEY’RE VERY HIGH.” The woman looks at the shoe’s heel, unable to hide her delight. “Very high.”

Considering she’s not the one who’s buying them, it doesn’t matter what she thinks. Still, he has to play the game. “Would you like to try the other?” he asks, offering her the shoe’s mate. It’s an expensive shoe, designer, from Italy. The store’s owner goes on a buying trip every six months to restock. He tries not to think about how the shoe costs more than he earns in the same amount of time.

The woman starts to say yes, but the man shakes his head. “It’s not necessary,” he says. “We’ll take them.”

The woman gifts him with a smile and slips the shoe off. He picks it up and repackages the pair. Presentation is everything.